Ariara Island

Escape to the ultimate 'off-the-beaten track' destination - Ariara Island is a private island paradise, available for let and yours to share with whomsoever you choose.

Ariara spans the entirety of a 125-acre tropical island with a
600 yard long white sand beach and protected private reef. In true
desert island fashion the centre of the island is a peak, encircled
by tropical forest itself fringed by beautiful and varied beaches.
The island and the surrounding waters are a sanctuary for Palawan
sea eagles, several species of turtles and the endangered dugong or
seacow. There is an amazing variety of marine life and coral, and
unexplored reefs and wrecks providing exceptional diving.

Famous Filipino architect Jorge Yulo designed the accommodation
and public areas in contemporary style and with real sensitivity to
the island's ecosystem. All in all there is extremely comfortable
and spacious accommodation for up to 18 guests as well as a central
Lodge for dining and entertaining with a master bedroom suite
above, an infinity pool and deck area, beach cottages, and a jungle
villas on stilts. All the rooms are situated along the main beach
and have wonderful and uninterrupted views out to sea.

The South wing comprises a spacious lounge with oversized
comfortable sofas to relax and unwind, equipped with a cinema style
projector and a huge screen. The lounge leads onto the infinity
pool and deck area and from there onto the beach. Above the lounge,
reached by a bridge from the gallery, is a master bedroom suite
With suitably impressive views.

In addition there are four beach cottages, each consisting of a
large bedroom with vaulted ceiling, a four poster style bed and
walk-in wardrobe. There is a huge marble bathroom and an open-air
shower. Each cottage is surrounded on two sides by wide verandas
with hammocks and a breakfast table. To the rear of each cottage is
a private terrace with a secluded pocket garden.

Life on Ariara is lead very much at your own pace. You can eat
exactly when you choose, and the island cook prepares traditional
filipino and international dishes according to clients' individual
tastes. If you prefer to bring your own cook along or employ a
Michelin-starred chef for the duration of your stay, that would be
fine too. Ariara grows its own bananas, mangos, pineapples, papaya,
coconuts and cashew nuts alongside herbs, salad leaves and
vegetables, supplemented by the huge selection of unusual fruit and
vegetables grown in the region such as delandan (a type of orange)
and kalamansi (Filipino limes). Local fisherman then bring their
catch - lobster, crab, Spanish mackerel, tangigi (tuna), maya-maya
(snapper), lapu-lapu (grouper), and a variety of game fish to name
a few. Excellent quality meat is also available.

In between meals the excellent staff are there to cater for your
every need. There is a yoga instructor and also masseuse on the
island, and even an island dog who loves to be taken for walks, but
by far the best activity on offer is the diving and snorkelling.
The diving, with the island's own PADI divemaster, is spectacular
with hundreds of coral reefs and an incredible diversity of marine
life. Incredible wreck diving is found around Busuanga and Coron
Bay where US forces sunk 13 Japanese naval ships in 1944. Some of
the world's finest dive sites: Tubbataha (a UNESCO World Heritage
Site), and Apo Reef are also accessible on longer trips. On the
fauna front, there are four endangered species of turtle including
Hawksbill, Leatherback, Olive Ridley, and Green turtles to see,
many of whom return annually to lay their eggs along Ariara's main
beach.

Why We Love It

This is diver heaven - the divemaster at Ariara even recently
discovered the intact wreck of a US supply boat from WWII just two
miles away.